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Finally, a water tank…thanks to KLM Wings of Support!
KLM Wings of Support gets us up and running. Water! Clean running water—from a tap!
Last week we achieved another milestone with the installation of a 10,000 liter water tank. It was a significant step forward in our goal to improve hygiene and sanitation for the kids.
The tank features 2 taps, for cooking and hand washing. A small electric pump runs the water from the main tank to a smaller roof top tank which in turn feeds the 2 new shower stalls below.
All of the kids and staff of HHFL send their love and thanks to KLM Wings of Support for enabling us to complete the water works—making another dream come true.
Asante sana
| The kids spell K..L..M with their bodies to say thanks! |
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Our 9-year-old volunteer raises money for HHF
Written by Lilley Salmon
I just returned from Africa yesterday after working in the Hanne Howard Fund for four days. This all started when we had a week holiday and my mother had a friend that is sponsoring a child at the project.
When this friend sent us the link to watch the movie on this website, my mother fell in love with it and decided we would go there. This was how it all started. My mother set a goal that we should at least try to make 500chf. So we had a few bake sales at school after swimming. After swimming when my mom saw my swim coach (also my teacher) she told her about what we were going to do. My teacher Ms.Nicholson had thought we could have a sponsored swim so we did. Our goal was to swim 1000 meters and get money for each lap. My mother also put up a notice for clothes on our school website and got a lot of clothes. People donated money as well as sponsored and bought things so that in the end we could have 500 chf, but we got more than that a lot more.
In total we raised…..2000chf!!
I had such a great time at the project and made lots of friends. I can’t wait to go back again.
Love Lilley
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KLM Wings of Support pay us a visit…
Hello Ted and Hanne!
I would like to thank your team for having me at the project! I had a great time and i was really amazed what a great work you guys doing there!
I made some pictures which I would like to share with you!
Keep up the good work!
With kind regards,
Tabitha
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Dismas Owino helps to build our water tank
Here’s a brief update on one of our youth members, Dismas Owino . He recently finished a welding course with Honours and is now apprenticing with Daniel at his shop on Ngong Rd close to the project. Yesterday he was busy welding a steel frame that will support our 10,000 litre water tank. Thanks to our friends at WATERCAN and KWAHO through whom we sourced the tank, and the generous funding of KLM - WINGS OF SUPPORT, our kids will now have a water source in the compound (no more jerry cans by wheel barrow from the local bore hole) and better still , will be able to have a proper shower. More about this project shortly when it’s finished.
Introducing evening studies at HHFL
Written by Michael Habib Mkanda
With the concept that diligent work goes a long way in positioning one to achieve their destiny, we started the after- school program to help teach the kids the place of diligent work in a person’s life. The program runs after school each day for 3 hours from Monday to Friday and the students will seat an assessment test on Saturdays to weigh their progress. Having started yesterday the kids are really enthusiastic about the program and yesterday’s classes were a success thanks to the kids and Teacher Duncan for his assistance.
We are also thankful to the rest of the staff for agreeing to work with us in our schedule. Most importantly I would like to thank Mother Hanne and Father Ted for the opportunity to undertake this program with the kids and facilitating it.We hope that it will bring a positive change in the pupils’ academic performance and even life. Also Computer Literacy classes are an important part of the program and they are mandatory.We hope the program will be a success and we pray for the best.
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Hanne and I are very impressed with the good work that Michael is doing with the children. About 3 weeks ago, Michael appeared in our compound to volunteer. He is a top graduate of Lenana Boys School, a top ranked national school located within a 1/4 mile of our project. He is now enrolled in Nairobi University and intent on a law degree. I have gotten to know and admire Michael’s people skills, smarts and social conscience. I have spent several hours engaged in conversation with him and have watched how Michael interacts with our youth. He is selfless and inspirational. The kids are very eager and willing to spend 3 hours after school each day working on their syllabus subjects under his guidance. Michael thoroughly enjoys it too. It’s a win win !!
Ted
| Michael leading a Class 7 group in Swahili |
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| Grade 8 students working on a map quiz under the supervision of Teacher Duncan |
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| Teachers Susan and Ngina working with the class 5 and 6. |
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Back to school!
Written by Kennedy Otieno
Monday morning and all the students were finally prepared to return to their different schools. Mother Hanne and the staff had been a very busy time getting all the books, uniforms and supplies organized. Transport problems with the matatus on strike delayed the departure on Monday. On the second day (Tuesday), all of the students paraded with their uniforms and belongings. We took a group photo with the high school students in the morning because they were leaving for different schools located in diverse locations around the country. The primary school students from boarding school in Kilgoris Academy paraded in the afternoon with all their belongings, trunks, mattresses and their shopping. Daniel and Esther were very excited because they were joining boarding school in Kilgoris for the very first time. Daniel was running around very excited, just waiting for the departure for school.
During the day, they bound their new books bought by mother Hanne. All of them were very happy to go back but with something in their minds “Hard Work.” Everyone knows that good grades will mean more opportunity for a better future. Now we look forward to seeing them during the April holiday.
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Christmas Lunch at the Rusty Nail
Written by Mercy Achieng
On the 24th December, the hostel kids got a surprise. Mama Hanne and Baba Ted took us to a place one can hardly imagine. We were taken to a restaurant called Rusty Nail. It is situated next to the Karen dispensary. The environment was cool and indeed nothing was rusty as the name suggests.
The rest of the kids did not get the chance to go because they had gone to celebrate Christmas with their families. With us was Lucy, our manager accompanied by her sweet little daughter, Cidella.
We got to the restaurant at about 12.00 noon. Mama Hanne was very happy to see all of us looking so nice. The girls had worn some white and pink t-shirts that Mama Hanne had brought us the previous day that made us all look wow!
What we saw next was amazing! Mama Hanne and Baba Ted had rented a restaurant that catered for us only that day. We were very happy. There was a shining Christmas tree situated in one corner of the restaurant, Christmas carols were being sung on a radio, several jikos were lit to produce heat because the weather was chilly and lastly there was a fireplace surrounded with comfortable sofas where we all sat taking our juice before having our lunch. Mama Hanne took a picture of us having a toast. Cidella, Lucy’s daughter was roaming around the restaurant feeling very happy.
After a short while, lunch was served. The table was arranged nicely. Some of us, who never knew how to use the fork, spoon and knife altogether learned that day. Everybody’s mouth was watering as their stomachs grumbled for food. We ate fish fingers, chicken nuggets, carrot sticks, tomato slices and chips. It was branded the name ‘buffet’. Everybody made sure they finished every bit of the delicious food and went for a second round. We ate to our satisfaction. We had vanilla ice cream later on which left everyone licking the cones all along. We sat chatting and suddenly a man came and greeted us. He introduced himself as a magician. Many of us had never seen a magician before. That was the surprise of the day. What the man did was extraordinary. Mama Hanne and Baba Ted really made us happy. The man incredibly changed the normal paper into money and gave it to one of us. Everyone was in doubt as we tried to figure out if it was real money. He taught us magic words; ‘pije paje pije po’ which we chorused to make the magic happen. We all laughed our hearts off as he did other magic things. Thus the encounter was very extraordinary!!
Later on we went to the volley-ball pitch where some of us played while others played hide and seek. The day ended very happily. ‘Home time kids!’ Mama Hanne and Baba Ted shouted. Some were reluctant but since the day was done, we had to go home; all in a jovial mood!
Finally we take this opportunity to thank all the people who made that day a success. We were told that Jennifer Hardie, one of our friends and donors, sent money so that we could enjoy this great experience. We also abundantly thank Mama Hanne and Baba Ted!!
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Closing Ceremonies and Christmas Party
Jambo!
This morning, Hanne is off in the slum organizing books and uniforms for the kids. Getting this job done now, before the mad back- to- school rush in January, will save a lot of wear and tear!!
I thought you might enjoy a couple of pics from last Saturday’s closing ceremonies and Christmas party.
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This year the kitchen served about 130 meals–sweet potatoes, veggies, chicken (8 of them) in huge pots, with juice and ice cream. Hanne had the place well organized to seat everyone–the guests were served as well, under the grass umbrella.
After lunch our scouts kicked off the festivities with a flag raising and parade. Very smartly done! The next couple of hours of entertainment included the Rabbits (our tiny tots in pink Ts) performing a play and reciting a verse, our choir, recorders, a play written and performed by our older kids (based on Hanne’s good samaritanship), acrobatics, presentations and recognition to several of our kids and staff . A new and special part of the program this year, thanks to Grant Thomas and his wonderful staff at DOT (Digital Opportunity Trust), recognized our high school students and staff who had just completed a 10 day DOT program designed to teach them life and business skills and ICT. I attended a couple of the daily sessions and can attest that the “lights were going on”.
Undoubtedly there will be more stories to follow on our website. Hope you enjoy the pics! Thank you all for your interest and support. Seeing the results of all of our efforts in real time on the ground can’t help but make one feel pretty good, particularly at this time of the year.
Hanne and I are planning to take the hostel kids out for lunch on the 24th. The rest of the project is now closed until the 29th.
Before I sign off. I was touched by a story on Saturday. The mother of 1 of our IDP kids came to fetch her daughter and 2 nephews from the hostel for Xmas. Her own mother was killed in the 07/08 post election violence in the Rift valley. This woman has been living in a tent ever since. To see the happiness on the faces of these kids at the prospect of spending Christmas with mum/auntie, even in an IDP camp, reminded me of the importance of family.
Wishing you all the best of the Season from Hanne and I.
Ted
It’s Christmas time at HHFL!
Celebrating the holidays
Christmas is around the corner and we are having a blast preparing for the holidays! Usually we do not celebrate very much but this year, for the first time ever, Mama Hanne bought us a Christmas tree and the children have been busy making decorations to make it look more beautiful!
All the children are coming together to make the decorations. Mama Hanne taught us how to make some basic ornaments and we were all very excited to learn from her. We used paper and cut them into different shapes and coloured both sides of the paper. We then stuck shiny material on the paper and hung the decorated shapes on the tree. Wow, the end result was so beautiful and everyone was amazed at the work we had done. Below, on the left, is a picture of us decorating the tree.
We also created a nativity. This is something that we have never heard of. But due to the presence of our dear, loving and innovative mother Hanne, we were able to come up with the amazing feature. She told us lots of information about it. We created it to prepare for the birth of Baby Jesus. It has made our compound very beautiful and we wish to thank our proactive Mother Hanne, Father Ted and all the donors who have contributed to our progress.
We also have a new music teacher who volunteered to teach us Christmas songs. The songs are easy to learn and the children are excited to sing them during the closing ceremony! I think our life is being made better and better as the days go by and we cordially and abundantly thank our donors for their involvement in our lives!!!!!
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Celebrating our first graduates!
Dismas and Kennedy set an example for our children
Well, it appears that our collective efforts are paying off because we recently celebrated our first two graduates and we could not be more proud of them. Dismas Owino graduated with Honours from technical school in Welding and Kennedy Otieno is our first high school graduate.
It is not common place for slum children to have these kinds of educational opportunities. But these two accomplishments prove that our kids are just as capable of and committed to reaching their full potential given the chance.
Like all of our children, Dismas comes from a disadvantaged background but it became apparent early on that he was very talented and extremely good with his hands. I noticed that he was always eager to stay close to the carpentry work being done on the HHF compound and developed a passion for making things. I decided to send him to a local vocational school in Welding to see what he could accomplish. His strong work ethic and commitment to self improvement have been a joy to watch. Dismas will start looking for work locally and we feel confident that, with our help, he will carve a career path that will take him places in his lifetime. He loves his new trade.
Kennedy is another extremely talented and bright boy who recently graduated from high school. Ted and I made the decision to bring him on the HHFL volunteer staff team as a trainee in the hope that he will develop his skills in administration and management. He wants to go to Business School in 2010. I think he would make an excellent candidate as he is smart, committed and good with computers. Not to mention very charming!
Both kids are setting a wonderful example for our younger children and we hope that they will continue to bring inspiration to our group of kids and a tangible sense for what is possible with the right attitude.
This is proving that we can achieve a lot together.
Asante sana! Hanne